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Intermittent auto. lighting on Astra k

12K views 22 replies 9 participants last post by  Finston Pickle 
#1 ·
Hi folks i contacted Vauxhall regards the intermittent auto.lighting when going under a bridge etc. it goes dark and it may stay like this until i stop and switch off the engine which resets it again and it may work ok for a day or two.Vauxhall say there is no estimated time for a software update,so folks you have a car with a software fault which Vauxhall cannot fix and you will have to put up with it untill the u/gtee runs out ???????? or.
widds.
 
#2 ·
Hi, Widds!

There's just been a recent 'mini-discussion' regarding this problem here: https://www.astrakforums.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3767 I'm not sure whether you'll have seen this.

As I've said in that thread (and previous ones), my auto light function was very unpredictable in the first few months after I took delivery from new and it didn't really stabilise until I'd had the car several months. Even now, it still has its moments, but it's far more reliable than it used to be!

When I had my first service back in Apr of this year, I asked whether there would be a software (firmware?) update for the auto lights and the dealer said there wouldn't be on that occasion, but they'd let me know. I've never heard anything since! I understand some members on here may have had some sort of update,but I'm not entirely sure whether it actually improved things. Try a search on the forum or try emailing Vauxhall directly to get more information.

How long have you had your car, byt the way? The light problem may improve in time as it did with mine. Another member, Anupanu, and I had similar issues with the auto lighting, but our respective systems appear to have 'settled down' now and they're more reliable. The sensor does 'freak out' somewhat at this time of the year with low sun angles and / or in gloomy conditions generally.
 
#4 ·
I thought that all cars had to have their daylight running lights on at all times by law. On the Astra K, it seems that the rear lights are also on when the daylight running lights are on - I think that this is a safe solution.

I guess that Auto position on the lights switch puts the dipped/main beam feature on in low light conditions and also can reduce the SatNav brightness by slecting "night mode" - if the display is selected to "auto" in the SatNav display menu.

I've made that "auto" selection in the SatNav display menu, but - no joy - I have permanently daytime SatNav display.

Is there anything I am missing?
 
#6 ·
astramaster said:
Finston Pickle said:
On the Astra K, it seems that the rear lights are also on when the daylight running lights are on - I think that this is a safe solution.
Do you have rear lights always on, like DRL? :shock:
Unless this is new (MY17+) I am pretty sure the rear lights on ANY Astra do not light in conjunction with the DRLs. My MY16 with rear LEDs certainly doesn't
 
#7 ·
Anupanu said:
astramaster said:
Finston Pickle said:
On the Astra K, it seems that the rear lights are also on when the daylight running lights are on - I think that this is a safe solution.
Do you have rear lights always on, like DRL? :shock:
Unless this is new (MY17+) I am pretty sure the rear lights on ANY Astra do not light in conjunction with the DRLs. My MY16 with rear LEDs certainly doesn't
Hi

My rear lights are not on either with just the DRLs on. (MY16)

Cheers

Paul
 
#8 ·
Well, I was interested to see if the rear lights came on with the DRL lights.

So - one sunny morning, I checked and there they were - rear lights on as well as the DRLs.

This means that the car will be visible from behind in light fog - safe in my opinion.

I remember an accidient when people were caught in light fog and they thought their rear lights would be on at the same time as their DRLs , just as the would be with dipped headlights - they were not and they piled into one another - unsafe, in my opinion.

Mine is the SRI Nav 17MY - and I don't think that the rear lights are LEDs.
 
#9 ·
I leave the lights selector in "Auto".

I've made that "auto" selection in the SatNav display menu, but - no joy - I have permanently daytime SatNav display.

What do I have to do to get a night time SatNav display at night and day time SatNav display in the day?
 
#10 ·
Finston Pickle said:
Well, I was interested to see if the rear lights came on with the DRL lights.
So - one sunny morning, I checked and there they were - rear lights on as well as the DRLs.
Does that mean that you have rear lights always on, like DRL? :shock:

Finston Pickle said:
I remember an accident when people were caught in light fog and they thought their rear lights would be on at the same time as their DRLs , just as the would be with dipped headlights - they were not and they piled into one another - unsafe, in my opinion.
They should not be driving without lights under foggy conditions. Headlights are mandatory in those conditions.
 
#11 ·
Finston Pickle said:
I leave the lights selector in "Auto".

I've made that "auto" selection in the SatNav display menu, but - no joy - I have permanently daytime SatNav display.

What do I have to do to get a night time SatNav display at night and day time SatNav display in the day?
Have you also put the main display setting to Auto mode? - HOME - Settings - Display - Mode - Select "Auto"
 
#13 ·
Tried my settings again, and altering the setting in the Nav menu has exactly the same effect as altering the display mode in the main settings. When I go into "Mode", the selections are made as soon as I tap on each selection - when I tap day mode the display goes bright, night mode and it goes "dark", auto mode whichever it is told. I suggest if yours doesn't change at all, the unit is faulty and needs some sort of reset or software reload.
 
#15 ·
Finston Pickle said:
I leave the lights selector in "Auto".

I've made that "auto" selection in the SatNav display menu, but - no joy - I have permanently daytime SatNav display.

What do I have to do to get a night time SatNav display at night and day time SatNav display in the day?
Hi, Finston!

Can't comment about the display because I don't have the Nav version of the 'K'. However, my little screen does dim when the headlights are illuminated (auto or otherwise) and there are settings to change that. However, in normal daylight conditions, my DRLs are always on when the engine's running, but certainly no rear lights! If I turn the light switch to manual (first position), the DRLs dim appreciably and become (rather poor) sidelights / parking lights and the rear lights are definitely on then. They stay on, of course, when the headlights are switched on (automatically or otherwise).

My rear lights are never on when the DRLs are in normal bright / daytime mode. :?
 
#17 ·
Checked the rear lights relative to DRLs and they were off in the daytime - can only believe I was misled by reflected bright sunlight into thinking the rear lights were on along with the DRLs, with auto seleted in the daytime.

Sorry - but glad I still don't think the rear lights are on along with the DRLs, that was very dangerous.
 
#18 ·
Finston Pickle said:
Checked the rear lights relative to DRLs and they were off in the daytime - can only believe I was misled by reflected bright sunlight into thinking the rear lights were on along with the DRLs, with auto seleted in the daytime.

Sorry - but glad I still don't think the rear lights are on along with the DRLs, that was very dangerous.
Why would it be dangerous? :roll:
 
#19 ·
astramaster said:
Why would it be dangerous? :roll:
Exactly my thoughts!

Some vehicles already include 'rear DRLs', apparently, so it wouldn't have been a problem, IMO, even though, technically, it would have been a fault on the 'K' :eek: :? :?
 
#21 ·
I think it was dangerous for me to belive that the rear sidelights were on along with the DRLs because I would not have switched my sidelights or main beam on in bright light fog - just like the people who crashed on the bridge in light fog a year or two ago.

As it now is, I will put the main beam on as well as the front and rear fog lights in any sort of fog.
 
#22 ·
Finston Pickle said:
As it now is, I will put the main beam on as well as the front and rear fog lights in any sort of fog.
Hi

Why? You only need to use them if the visibility is bad and there is no vehicle either in front (front fogs) and behind (rear fogs).

I sometimes wish they had never been invented due to the amount of people that manage to use them incorrectly and dazzle other drivers.

Cheers

Paul
 
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